burnside's bridge

Off to one side, it's another case of men fighting over a bridge across a stream that you can wade over.

This is one of my favorite civil war sites and I have seen many. to think of the heavy casualties taking this bridge. It is easy to see why there were casualties.

This is very much worth your time to seek out this bridge and walk across it so you can see the battlefield from both sides. This is a do not miss stop when you are visiting the Antietam battlefield.

This was just awesome to be here. We've all seen the pictures and heard the stories, but being here gives you a different view of things. You get to see from both sides of the famous bridge just what really transpired. One of the best stops on the battlefield.

Scenic bridge in Maryland farm country, over Antietam Creek. Why is it important? Because on September 17, 1862, Union Corps Commander Ambrose Burnside decided the area around the bridge was worth taking at any cost. Strategically, it made no sense and it allowed the Confederacy to inflict a lot of damage in a battle that already was essentially over. While Lee's attempt to invade the North (Maryland was technically neutral although it supplied troops to both sides of the war) had ended, his army was allowed to escape. Burnside Bridge is the last stop of a tour visiting the bloodiest single day battlefield of the entire war. Not sure why this is singled out as it is part of the battlefield, although arguably the most famous structure on the battlefield.

Don't miss the Burnside Bridge when you tour Antietam. A nice old bridge and good for a photo, but also rich with history. It's a great place to reflect on the tragedy of war.

Ambrose Burnside was an idiot. Like Lee ordering Pickett across the Emmetsburg Road at Gettysburg, or Grant ordering his troops into the teeth of a fortified position at Cold Harbor, no commander with any consideration for the well-being of their troops would send those troops into a concentrated killing field like that bridge only to have them then go up against a fortified position on a hilltop such as this - particularly when there is a ford 200 yards above the bridge more easily crossed and into a lesser and more easily accessible hillside to flank the enemy position. A cold sweat dribbled down my neck as I stood along the creek that day looking at that hillside and realizing the many similarities to the geography of Omaha Beach.Antietam, or Sharpsburg, depending upon which side of the Mason-Dixon Line you're from, was the bloodiest one day battle of the American Civil War. Officially, 22,717 American men were KIA, WIA, or MIA after Antietam. Unofficially, the count is 23,110. Given the record-keeping and accounting practices of the time, its more likely over 25,000 - many of which came from the incompetence of command at Burnside's Bridge.Just another sad story in the saga of the American Civil War!!

I have paddled down to it and driven over it. It is a well maintained span and scenic. If you paddle under it, there is a 3' high dam that form a falls and can be paddled over. It adds a bit of excitement to a great creek float. This is a historic site maintained by the park service.

One of the last stops on our tour of Antietam Battlefield was the here. We stood on the Confederate side and looked down at the creek and the small bridge before us. I tried to imagine the devastation that happened so many years ago. It was heart breaking but I am glad I was able to experience it.

this bridge is in the national park having been closed to traffic in the 1960's. held by the confederates on the hillside overlooking it it was eventually taken by the union soldiers after many were killed and wounded on both sides

Had read about the bridge before we went there. We had purchased CD for the spots on the auto tour. It was well done.

To add to your knowledge of this one day battle and the part this bridge played you must read about , listen to the video before going into the self guide tour as we did.

Like most of the park this bridge is mostly what it appeared like at the time of the battle. Beautiful landscape.

One of the last stops when touring the Antietam battlefield. The area is well preserved and it is a neat experience to see the bridge and witness tree. Make sure to stop and walk around the grounds when visiting the battlefield.

If you toured the Battlefield, you might as well go to this nice little bridge. There are a few monuments and you get a good idea what it must have been like for the Union troops trying to take the bridge. Sort of like shooting fish in a barrel, they were easy targets until the Union flanked the Rebels. The bridge is well preserved. My guess is the water was higher or more turbulent back then, as you could easily wade across these days.